Justin Fields didn’t play well last week when forced to come off the bench in relief of Andy Dalton. He said so himself. The rookie has high standards and in his mind he didn’t meet them. Is that fair? Yes and no. There were definitely mistakes last Sunday against the Bengals. Abandoning the pocket too early led to a strip-sack. Getting fooled by a blitz that led to a bad interception. That said, it wasn’t that bad.
He had some really impressive throws during the game. Two of which should’ve been for big plays if they weren’t dropped. He also had the crucial scramble to convert on 3rd and 9 to help kill the clock in the final minutes. So while he wasn’t at his best, the kid did enough to win the game. Now he is set to make his first NFL start this weekend in Cleveland. A lot of people are wondering what to expect.
If the past is any indication? The rookie should have a solid performance. Throughout his football career, one thing has remained consistent with Fields. Whenever he has a down week of play, he follows that up with a big game the next week. This has been true since all the way back in high school.
High school:
- 8/25/17 vs. Rome – 230 yards passing, 73 rushing, 2 TDs, 1 INT
- 9/01/17 vs. North Cobb – 96 yards passing, 208 rushing, 5 TDs
College:
- 11/21/20 vs. Indiana – 300 yards passing, 73 rushing, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
- 12/05/20 vs. Michigan State – 199 yards passing, 104 rushing, 4 TDs
- 12/19/20 vs. Northwestern – 114 yards passing, 34 rushing, 2 INTs
- 1/01/21 vs. Clemson – 385 yards passing, 42 rushing, 6 TDs, 1 INT
This goes back to the type of person that Fields is. He is a competitor. The guy treats every game with deadly seriousness. When he doesn’t play well, it is a personal affront to his pride. Thus he feels a responsibility to correct the issue as soon as possible.
Justin Fields has quite a stage set up for him
This doesn’t feel like any sort of normal first start for a rookie. It is happening in Cleveland, just two hours away from the Ohio State campus where he built a devoted following in college. He’ll be playing a Browns team that many consider a Super Bowl contender as well. Just imagine what might happen if the kid plays well. There might be no stopping the hype train at that point.
Truth be told, Bears fans should keep their expectations under control. That is not to say Justin Fields will be bad on Sunday. There are reasons to think he’ll be able to have some success. It is merely that rookies always tend to look somewhat inconsistent in their first start. What matters is how he handles the hostile environment, facing a tough defense, and the possibility of more mistakes.
His teammates don’t seem concerned about that.
Several have said already his confidence seems unshakeable. Fields has the ideal mindset of next-play mentality. Just three plays after throwing that interception against Cincinnati, he delivered the critical first down to help ice the game. He is more aware than anybody of how he played in that game. Make no mistake. He is going into Cleveland with a clear intent to play well. Based on his track record? It would be wise not to doubt him.